


Who Dares To Love Forever? - Children of the Night

by mansikka



Series: Who Dares To Love Forever? [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, POV Alec Lightwood, Vampire Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 15:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23311846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: A difficult meeting at the Clave forces a conversation about the one thing Magnus and Alec aren’t ready to even think about. After much reflection and research, Alec embarks on a journey to become immortal. Though with ceremonies to perform, sacrifices to be made, and an unexpected ‘gift’ from an absent Asmodeus, what will they both have to endure, to get their truly happy ever after?
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Who Dares To Love Forever? [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602904
Comments: 12
Kudos: 81
Collections: SHBingo





	Who Dares To Love Forever? - Children of the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is for the bingo square Children of the Night!

The wind whipping against Alec's body as he overlooked the city was a mixed blessing; cool from the heat of the day yet laced with a scent that was nothing but taunting. Up here it was safe to breathe deep, to close his eyes and imagine sinking his fangs into a neck to feel the hot gush of blood in his mouth. Not that he'd give in to the urge for it, of course. Here, he could savor the smell, then let his arrows fly far to force his thoughts to other things.

Like Magnus. And their sixtieth wedding anniversary coming up the following week. And the six gifts he hoped he'd hidden away adequately so that his inquisitive husband wouldn't find them no matter how hard he snooped. Not that he wouldn't try, of course. Alec fired the final of his arrows with a smile on his face for imagining Magnus _looking_.

Some days, when life felt unimaginable in all the best ways, Alec had to _think_ about how he'd got to where he was. The decision to become a vampire to be with Magnus forever had been a slow-growing thing over their first ten years, a period over which they'd exhausted every possible option, agonizing over the thought of Alec leaving Magnus behind. Vampirism was not something Alec had ever wanted; the thought of craving blood, and needing it to survive, had disgusted him for a while. Raphael had been the one, in the end, to talk him into it, by showing how _he_ coped with becoming something that was against everything he'd ever stood for.

"Amigo. We'll be late."

Alec pursed his lips for hearing Raphael's voice, giving a final glance out over the city before spinning on his heel.

"Well, we can't keep _Simon_ waiting, can we?"

Raphael shrugged, pressing his hands together as he approached. "I was thinking more about leaving him alone with your husband. You know how Simon gets when it's the day before a gig; Magnus will be climbing the walls."

"You mean, _you're_ done with listening to him."

"I could listen to Simon talk forever. And I will."

Alec smiled, nodding for them to make their way down from the building, holding his bow and quiver down by his side. "You just don't need _him_ to know you're listening, right?"

Raphael's smile was brief, and wicked, making Alec throw back his head and laugh.

Raphael made Alec's transition to becoming a vampire the easiest he could possible, surprising Alec that he volunteered to _mentor_ him through the process, both before and after. _Lily_, Alec's sire, only agreed to help him become a vampire for knowing Raphael would be there to guide him. Alec hadn't expected a friendship to form between the two of them for how hostile things had been initially. Magnus liked to taunt him from time to time about how close they'd become.

"It's because of your similarly surly, ornery, sarcastic personalities," Magnus would typically say; unprompted and whenever he was in the mood to tease. To which Alec would give him the _eyebrow_ resulting in Magnus falling about with laughter for proving his point. Then kissing him for it.

"You gonna show us up tonight?" Raphael asked then bringing Alec's thoughts back, opening the door to the roof and waving for Alec to go first.

"Don't I always? What for this time?"

"I don't know how you got used to eating _food_ so much quicker than any other vampire I know," Raphael replied, no longer snooty for it as he had been in the beginning.

Alec _had_ to learn to eat solid food again quickly for how many restaurants he and Magnus went to. Magnus _loved_ food; there was no way Alec would expect him to go for decades eating alone because of _him_. It had taken work, though had also come to Alec far easier than he'd expected; even if all he really _wanted_ to consume was blood. Though he allowed himself a smug shrug for it as they made their way down the stairs, feeling Raphael's eye roll to the back of his head.

"Well. Maybe you're just set in your ways. Even _Simon_ picked it up faster than you."

"I think I liked you better as a Shadowhunter, Alec."

"I'm practically your stepfather. Have some respect."

"When you've earned it," Simon retorted as they made their way out of the building. "Bet I can still beat you there."

A _race_. Almost as exhilarating as _sparring_. Alec swung the quiver back over his chest adjusting his grip on the bow, nodding in agreement. "I'll even give you a head start."

Raphael's smile spread again as he tilted his chin in defiance. "I don't need any head start, _pup_."

* * *

Alec tried not to laugh for the obvious relief on Magnus' face when he and Raphael barged their way through the apartment door to determine who got their first. Simon was oblivious, of course, still recounting the events of his day to Magnus in great detail, which Alec caught snatches of and quickly pushed from his thoughts as he stowed his bow and quiver away.

"Alexander," Magnus said, crossing the floor to join him and stealing a kiss, pressing hard against him, "I am so glad you're home."

"I was gone _two hours_. What happened?"

Magnus cast a glance over his shoulder in Simon's direction with _no_ discretion at all, putting a wounded look on Simon's face that Raphael soothed away with a pat to his chest and one of their typically chaste kisses. Chaste in _public_ of course; Alec had walked in on far less polite ones that left their hair disheveled, and the smuggest of smiles on both their faces.

"I have something for you," Alec told him discreetly tugging him on the waist before pulling a small box from his pant pocket, taking Magnus' hand to press it into his palm.

"_More_ gifts?" Raphael called from across the room, disdain dripping from his voice. Alec refused to hear him, far more interested in watching the delight on Mangus' face for receiving a gift.

"What's the occasion?" Magnus asked, brushing his thumb over the box, gripping the lid before cracking it open.

"No reason. I just wanted to."

"It's not our anniversary until next week."

"This is nothing to do with our anniversary. Think of it as a warm up gift, if you want it to be."

Alec continued to watch as Magnus pulled back the lid, stroking his thumb over the sapphire and silver cufflinks he'd picked up earlier whose gemstones were the perfect match to Magnus' shirt. And the flecks of color in his hair; Alec had seen him putting the outfit together from their bed that morning for knowing he'd have a busy day at work. Which Alec hadn't _helped_ with by pulling him back into that bed. Not that either one of them complained about it, of course.

"I love them. Thank you, Alexander."

Alec winked as he gestured for Magnus to hold out his wrists, ignoring Raphael's _comments_ to carefully secure the cufflinks at his wrists. Magnus held them up in turn to inspect, smiling at him in gratitude.

"Are we gonna get dinner, or what?" Raphael asked, taking Magnus' wrist to inspect the cufflinks himself. "Or are you two just gonna stand here _smiling_ at one another like that?"

* * *

"Are you ever going to stop worshipping the sun?"

Raphael kept his face turned to the sun flipping Alec off without even looking, before curling his hands around the railing around their terrace and sighing softly in relief. Alec snorted for it, returning to their table and taking the shrimp Magnus extended in his fingers in his teeth before taking his seat. Winking, of course, for the way it made Magnus' smile curve up in amusement.

Alec understood Raphael's fascination with the sun really, even if he never missed an opportunity to tease. Simon had been without sun so briefly, and Alec—also thanks to Jace though more willingly—had barely lost a day. When Clary had offered _her_ blood to Raphael after seeing how broken he was for seeing Simon _and_ Alec living their Daylighter lives, his first request had been for Magnus to portal him somewhere sunny—as soon as Clary was recovered, of course. Alec still remembered the look of awe-filled bliss on Raphael's face when they had stepped through Magnus' portal on to a beach in Cancun.

"Querido. Come eat dinner," Simon called, tapping the place on the table beside him. Alec watched Raphael angle his face up for a moment longer before turning around, rejoining them at the table.

"You know. It's technically lunch," Alec said as he helped himself to another shrimp from Magnus' plate. "We're in Canberra."

"Which _means_, when we get back to New York, we have time to check out the venue for tomorrow night," Simon said with his typical enthusiasm; which Alec was more than used to but still rolled his eyes at out of habit.

Raphael's scowl for Alec was _beautiful_, forcing laughter to burst from his mouth. "Of course we will, Simon," Raphael replied, offering him a sweet smile when he looked. And for Alec making _gagging_ noises, Raphael turned to Magnus to add, "I think the baby needs its bottle."

"I do _not_," Alec retorted far too quickly, earning himself a triumphant smirk.

"At least you acknowledge that you are a _child_."

"Gentlemen, please," Magnus said in his best civilized though raised voice, "I think you _all_ could do with a little… refreshment. Aside from Simon, who is the most well-behaved of all of you currently."

Simon's smile was smug, though not as smug as the squaring of his shoulders. Alec watched him preen, then turned to give Magnus a look of reproach, earning himself a kiss. Magnus pulled back, snapping his fingers without breaking eye contact, summoning three glasses of blood to appear in front of the three of them, and a further cocktail for himself.

"To us," Magnus said in toast as he raised his glass, first gesturing to Raphael and Simon, and then clinking glasses with Alec. Alec closed his eyes for the thick, still-warm blood slipping down his throat, feeling it seep through him and leave him feeling whole.

* * *

Alec can still taste the blood on his tongue as the world distorts around them bringing them back to their chamber. Everything feels _off_; Alec can't focus on anything, and even Magnus' voice seems muffled to him. There is a sense in his stomach that he could run anywhere at speed, that he has strength he's never known; not even as a Shadowhunter. A burst of energy churns through him dropping Alec to his knees leaving him gasping. He is only aware of Magnus crouched down beside him when he's called his name a handful of times.

"Alexander. Are you okay?" Magnus asks in concern, cupping Alec's face now he has his attention. With shaking fingers Alec raises his hand to press to the back of Magnus' keeping him close. "Alec?"

He hasn't answered him. Alec tries to clear his throat for the parched feeling there, horrified for the thought that he might be craving blood. His voice cracks as he asks for water, Magnus snapping his fingers for an iced jug that he pours him a glass of and Alec finishes in gulps. Alec is sure he has never been so relieved to have his thirst quenched.

"That was… that was a _lot_," Alec begins to say when that muffled, unfocused feeling begins to fade from him, allowing Magnus to tug him up and over to the couch.

"Yes. For you far more than for me. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm _fine_." Alec can feel a strengthening of the magic nurturing in him. He chooses to think that it is _this_ that has brought him to his knees instead of what they just experienced. Though there is doubt in Magnus' eyes when Alec says as much. Alec notices it, then realizes the origins of it, not hesitating to lean in and kiss him in reassurance.

"Magnus," he whispers as he cradles his face in one hand, determined to make Magnus hear him. "I would go through _that_, for _you_, if that were our only option. I won't pretend I'm not glad we didn't need to, but I would. I _would_, Magnus. I would do anything, and everything, to be with you.

"It would be a lot to ask," Magnus replies, just as gentle, as though he is afraid to speak too loud.

"I was willing to let _Simon_ turn me once so I could be with you. You don't think I wouldn't?"

"I know you _would_. But Alec—"

Alec kisses him quiet, pouring into the kiss all the love that he can. He presses his fingers to the wedded rune now on Magnus' chest, before raising his hand to kiss the back of while toying with his wedding ring. Magnus' face takes on that look of awe he has about him, whenever he thinks Alec gives him too much. Which Alec won't hear; how can he ever give Magnus too much of anything, when he loves him as much as he does?

"We should get going to the next one," Alec says then, once he's sure Magnus is okay. He checks his phone, turning it to show Magnus that since arriving some hours have now passed. He doesn't understand how any of this is working, but then this isn't something they could have prepared for beforehand. He stands, tugging Magnus to his feet and throwing an arm around his waist.

"If we think positive things, do we think we will be taken somewhere… good? Magnus says doubtfully as they walk towards the mirror yet again.

"I'm not sure it works like that," Alec says as he presses a kiss to his temple. "But then, I'm not sure of anything about this."

Magnus sighs as though to say he agrees with him, patting his hand against Alec's chest before nodding to say he's ready to go through.

* * *


End file.
